Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

John Ford’s 1962 film The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance is considered to be one of the greatest of American movies. This Western film begins with Senator Ransom Stoddard and his wife, Hallie, returning to Shinbone for the funeral of Tom Doniphon, an ex-outlaw and old friend of theirs. Upon the Stoddard’s arrival, the editor in chief of the Shinbone Star begins to question the Senator’s reason for visiting, forcing him to revisit his past. From then on, a flashback of events in the Old West begins.

In John Ford’s decision to film The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance in black and white, as opposed to the latest innovation of colored production, he suggests a sense of nostalgia. As Ransom Stoddard reflects on his past, he is reminded of the changes that the Old West has undergone. Through John Ford’s cinematography and various plot devices, one could argue that his perception of the changing West was optimistic.

One way John Ford presents the history of the West as a history of progress is the notion that established law is better than vigilante law. As the West became more civilized and Ransom Stoddard began to prosper, vigilante law faded out in to obscurity just as Tom Doniphon did. One can assume that John Ford meant that the overall progress of the West towards a more established law was the main goal, although it was done at the heroic figure Tom Doniphon’s expense.

Another approach John Ford uses in this film to suggest progression in the West is to bequeath the idea that the West was not won in violence, but in transformation of morals. Politicians served as substitutes for gunmen and government practices began to thrive. By implementing democratic politics into the West, Ransom Stoddard raised the idea of claiming statehood. At the time, Shinbone was a territory, a designated region that does not have the rights of a state. In order for a territory to be granted statehood, the region must raise its population. The only way for a territory to...

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The first element requires the movie to have characters whose physical and mental toughness separate them from the crowds of modern civilization. Tom Doniphon stands out as being tough and a little rough around the edges. He is one of the few people who is not afraid of LibertyValance, and won’t think twice about standing up to him. LibertyValance is another character who is separated by his bold and violent actions. He refuses to follow the law and does what he pleases. LibertyValance and Tom Doniphon are both very physically and mentally tough. In a different way, Ransom Stoddard is a character that stands out as being mentally tough as well. No matter how many people advise him to get out of town and run from LibertyValance, he refuses to leave or buy a gun, and sticks around to stand up for himself and what he believes in (justice and the law). He has a strong head on his shoulders and can take a lot of Liberty’s threats and attitude. All of these characters stand out from the crowds of modern civilization with their mental and/or physical toughness.
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